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Cow Palace
Cow Palace (originally California State Livestock Pavilion) is an indoor arena, in Daly City, California, situated on the city's border with neighboring San Francisco. History Completed in 1941, it hosted the San Francisco Warriors of the NBA from 1962 to 1964 and again from 1966 to 1971. The Warriors temporarily returned to the Cow Palace to host the 1975 NBA Finals due to the fact that the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena was booked for an Ice Follies performance. It was the site of both the 1956 Republican National Convention, and the 1964 Republican National Convention. It also hosted the San Jose Sharks of the NHL from 1991 to 1993 until the San Jose Arena was built. During the 1960s and 1970s, the SF Examiner Games, a world-class indoor track and field meet, was held annually at the Cow Palace. Additionally it hosted the Bay Bombers of the Roller Derby; the Derby's world championship playoffs were held at the Cow Palace every fall beginning from 1959 through 1973, when the organization was disbanded. The arena seats 11,089 for ice hockey and 12,953 for basketball. It has also been the home of the annual Grand National Rodeo, Horse & Stock Show since 1941 (except for a break from 1942 to 1945 due to World War II). The venue hosted the 1960 men's NCAA basketball Final Four and the 1967 NBA All-Star Game. Behind the name The idea for the arena was originally conceived as the result of the popularity of the livestock pavilion at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Newspaper records show that the name "Cow Palace" was used as early as May 1935. One story for how the current name came about tells of a newspaper editorial that wondered aloud "Why, when people are starving, should money be spent on a "palace for cows?" Thus, the Cow Palace was born. During World War II The arena opened in April, 1941. During World War II, though, the arena was used for processing soldiers bound for the Pacific Theater. In the following years, it hosted innumerable hockey and basketball games, wrestling and boxing matches, concerts, Roller derby and political events, most notably the 1956 and 1964 Republican National Conventions. The arena is still used for the Grand National Rodeo today and other events. Sports The San Francisco Warriors of the National Basketball Association called the Cow Palace home from 1962-1964 and from 1966-1971. The franchise then moved across the bay to the new Oakland Coliseum Arena and changed their moniker to "Golden State Warriors." The Warriors lost to the Boston Celtics in the 1964 NBA Finals. The 1967 NBA Finals between Golden State and the Philadelphia 76ers saw three games held at the Cow Palace. The two NBA Finals games hosted by the Warriors in their 1974-75 championship season, because of other events at the Oakland Coliseum, were also held at the Cow Palace. The San Francisco Shamrocks (PHL) called the Cow Palace home from 1977-1979. They won the championship their first season, but ended up disbanding in January 1979 part way through their second season. The Major Indoor Soccer League came to the Cow Palace for the 1980-81 season, when David Schoenstadt relocated his Detroit Lightning there, renaming them the San Francisco Fog. After a dismal season with an 11-29 record and less than a thousand fans per game, Schoenstadt moved the franchise again, this time to Kemper Arena, where the team flourished as the Kansas City Comets. More recently, the NHL's San Jose Sharks played their first two seasons of existence at the Cow Palace, although the NHL had previously rejected the building in 1967 as a home for the expansion California Seals franchise. From 1991 to 1993, the Sharks sold out every game played at the building, although its capacity for hockey games was just over 11,000. It was one of the last buildings to house a smaller than NHL-standard rink. The Palace has also hosted wrestling events, most notably WCW's Superbrawl in 1997, 1998, and 2000 and WWE's No Way Out in 2004. In 2010, the Cow Palace will once again have a regular sports tenant when the American Indoor Football Association's San Jose Wolves kick off. Concerts On 19 August 1964, The Beatles opened their first North American concert tour, playing at the Cow Palace. During a 1973 concert by The Who, their drummer Keith Moon, passed out from an overdose of horse tranquilizers. A fan of the band, Scot Halpin, completed the group's set that evening. The Allman Brothers Band played there on New Year's Eve, 1973, with The Grateful Dead members sitting in. The Grateful Dead also held a double bill, with Santana, on New Year's Eve 1976 and released a live CD, titled Live at the Cow Palace. They also recorded Dick's Picks Volume 24 here on March 23, 1974. KISS and Cheap Trick played the Cow Palace on August 16, 1977. It was also the day that Elvis Presley died and KISS played Jailhouse Rock. A majority of the songs on the album, Live Rust and the concert film, "Rust Never Sleeps", by Neil Young & Crazy Horse, were recorded during a concert at the Cow Palace on October 22, 1978. In February 1979, Neil Diamond fell onstage and couldn't get up. Less than two days later, he underwent 14 hours of delicate surgery, to remove a nonmalignant tumor, located dangerously close to his spine. Prince brought his Purple Rain tour to the Cow Palace for 6 sold out nights from February 27, 1985 - March 5, 1985. Sheila E. was the opening act. On the tickets it said "Wear Purple". The arena played host to Amnesty International's A Conspiracy of Hope Benefit Concert on June 4, 1986. The show was headlined by U2 and Sting and also featured Bryan Adams, Jackson Browne, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, Joan Baez and The Neville Brothers. Fleetwood Mac filmed both 12-13 December 1987 concerts at the Palace for a DVD, later released in 1988. Live 105's 10-for-10 (10 bands for 10 bucks) was held there in the 1990s, featuring Beck, Orbital, CAKE and The Chemical Brothers, as well as 6 other bands. DJ Tiesto brought his show to the Cow Palace on Saturday, November 21, 2009 and sold it out which was a huge concert for Electronic Dance Music. Rodeos and livestock expositions The Cow Palace is officially the 1-A District Agricultural Association, a State agency of the California Department of Food and Agriculture's Division of Fairs and Expositions. It has extensive stable and barn facilities for animal events, which are used for the annual Grand National Rodeo and occasionally for other events. Recent developments In the spring of 2008, State Senator Leland Yee advanced legislation to allow Daly City to purchase the Cow Palace from California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Division of Fairs and Expositions in order to develop housing, basic amenities, and possibly a school for the surrounding area.Daly City residents demand a local supermarketThe Cow Palace may be history However, the legislation was opposed by groups that regularly use the venue and other California citizens outside Daly City.Landmark arena gets reprieve as bill stallsCow Palace Land Purchase Bill Debate Heats UpExhibitions or demolition? Cow Palace's fate in question On September 9, 2008 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed this proposed sale of the Cow Palace overflow parking lot.Bill allowing Cow Palace parking lot sale vetoed Following the 2008 publicity associated with Leland Yee's failed bill, the Cow Palace board of directors entered exclusive negotiations with Cypress Equities for a 60-year lease to develop the 13 acres proposed by Daly City.Will veto benefit the Cow Palace?" Due to the lack of progress, this agreement was subsequently terminated and negotiations then commenced with a Marin County based developer in early 2010. Location The Cow Palace has a Daly City address, and except for the very northwest corner of the parking lot which is across the San Francisco border, it lies entirely within Daly City. See also *List of indoor arenas in the United States References External links *Official site *Grand National Rodeo, Horse & Stock Show website }} Category:San Francisco Warriors arenas Category:Defunct NBA Arenas Category:Arenas Category:Golden State Warriors arenas Category:Basketball venues in California Category:NBA Arenas